The MedStar Health—Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center Fellowship Program in Interventional Cardiology
Our fellowship is a two-year, highly competitive training program based in the heart of our nation’s capital. It provides fellows with exceptional training and research opportunities in Washington, D.C.,
The program aims to develop interventional cardiologists who are interested in advancing the field of cardiovascular medicine through research, education, program development, and policy leadership at the national level.
Why train here
MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute
Training takes place within the division of Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, and Vascular Surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, home to the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute. Internationally recognized, MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute is a distinguished leader in heart disease and advanced heart failure.
MedStar Washington Hospital Center and the MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute have one of the highest-volume cardiac programs in the nation.
Affiliated with Cleveland Clinic
MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute is affiliated with the renowned Cleveland Clinic. It is the first-of-its kind clinical and research alliance. Our partnership provides joint research, teaching, and interactive conferences.
This unique relationship provides fellows with the opportunity to engage with an extended academic resource during their training.
Comprehensive core competencies
Fellows are given the opportunity to develop competence in procedural skills, clinical judgment, professionalism, and interpersonal skills. They will also learn the systems management skills required by a specialist in the field of interventional cardiology.
Standard American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) competencies of patient care, medical knowledge, interpersonal communication skills, and professionalism are the principles to which each fellow and mentor are held accountable.
Completion of the two-year program will prepare the trainee to successfully complete the specialty board requirements for practice within the field of interventional cardiology.
ACGME approved
Our interventional cardiology fellowship program complies with the guidelines and recommendations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as described by the Core Cardiovascular Training Statement (COCATS) committee.
International fellows
An International Interventional program is available to one or two fellows each year. These fully trained fellows have a variety of backgrounds and come to MedStar Washington to participate in additional research. They are integrally involved with the first-year fellows' research programs.
Clinical and academic excellence
The program's faculty-to-fellow ration is 3:1. Faculty members participate in all aspects of the cardiovascular residency and fellowship training programs within the Department of Medicine and the Division of Cardiology. Fellows participate in the training of both general fellows and medical residents.
Relationships with technicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are essential. Each fellow is part of a bigger team that includes physicians and their representatives from EP, Surgery, Advanced Heart Failure, and the Noninvasive Program.
Curriculum overview
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First year
Year one of our program consists of an intensive research opportunity. Each fellow will participate in a collaborative team of professionals dedicated to the promotion of information and education in the field of interventional cardiology.
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Animal lab
An active animal lab with dedicated angiographic facilities comprise one segment of the first-year program. More than 60 manuscripts are published annually in a variety of peer-reviewed journals.
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Second year
A rigorous clinical training program at the dedicated cath labs of MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute takes place in the second year. Serving as the primary training facilities, current volumes at the 12 cardiac cath labs exceed 10,000 cases annually and interventional procedures reach nearly 3,000 cases each year.
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Cath labs
The labs include three hybrid procedure rooms for more advanced procedures, such as those involving structural heart disease, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and mitral valve. Complex peripheral procedures managed in the cath lab include thoracic and abdominal aortic procedures, as well as a variety of lower extremity procedures, including limb salvage.
Facilities are staffed around the clock. They accept a large volume of transfers from the surrounding Washington, D.C., area via four helicopters and 10 ground units.
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Clinical experience
Training and supervised clinical experience is provided through the evaluation and care of patients with a variety of conditions including:
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Research clinic
Fellows will participate in a research outpatient clinic, as well as a general peripheral and interventional clinic as defined by ACGME.
Educational conferences
Monday Mornings (7:00am-8:00am):
Weekly interventional cardiology fellowship meeting with Dr. Ben-Dor (MedStar Washington Hospital Center Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program Director).
Tuesday Mornings (7:45am-8:45am):
Weekly complex PCI/CTO and peripheral film review with Dr. Bernardo (Medical Director of the Peripheral Vascular Laboratory at MedStar Heart Institute).
Tuesday Afternoons (4:00pm-5:00pm):
Biostatistics lecture series with Dr. Zhang (MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute Statistician).
Wednesday Mornings (7:30am-8:30am):
Weekly MedStar Washington Hospital Center Cath Conference.
Wednesday Afternoons (4:00pm-5:00pm):
Weekly coronary film review with Dr. Waksman (Director of Cardiovascular Research and Advanced Education at the Heart Institute).
Thursday Mornings (7:00am-8:00am):
Weekly Structural Heart Valve Heart Team meeting.
Thursday Afternoons (4:00pm-5:00pm):
Weekly biostatistics lecture series with Dr. Zhang (MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute Statistician).
Thursday Afternoons (4:00pm-6:00pm):
Monthly Journal Club.
Thursday Evenings (7:30pm-8:30pm):
Monthly DMV Cath Lab Case Review.
Friday Mornings (7:30am-8:30am):
Monthly IVUS Film Review with Dr. Mintz.
Friday Afternoons (4:00pm-5:30pm):
Weekly MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute research meeting.
National and international education programs
Fellows present their research at a variety of global programs, including:
CRT
CRT, one of the world’s leading interventional cardiology conferences, is attended by more than 3,000 interventional and endovascular specialists.
At CRT conference every year end of February beginning of March , we will feature over 2000 presentations and 21 live cases from 10 locations around the world. The conference, which will be held at the OMNI Shoreham, Washington,DC, is supported by MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute and serves as a forum for physician and health-care professional education about new cardiovascular technology and interventional procedures in the field.
CRT is one of the world’s leading interventional cardiology conferences. This conference takes place in Washington, DC every year and gives attendees a great opportunity to share ideas and knowledge, collaborate on interventional cardiology solutions, receive interventional cardiology training and network with other professionals.
National
Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT)
American College of Cardiology (ACC)
American Heart Association (AHA)
International
European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
Annual meeting of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EuroPCR)
PCR London Valves
Program evaluation
Feedback is essential to an educational program. It is imperative that the relationship created during rotations instills a mechanism of evaluation and critical assessment as part of the learning process. Our program evaluation process includes:
- Periodic fellow-faculty meetings to openly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the program, its faculty, and its participants
- Evaluations that are web-based and include the ACGME and ABIM process
- Close monitoring by the program director of the fellows' activities and development of schedules that adjust to the needs of the individual fellow
- A weekly evaluation by the interventional cardiologist, who modifies the program as needed
- Routine review of each fellow’s strengths and weaknesses
- A weekly accounting of each fellow’s procedure numbers and types, which are a critical component of their education
- Feedback solicited during program
- An exit interview, which is required so that fellows can provide a more detailed assessment of their experience
- An additional interview conducted 12 to 24 months after training.
Contact us
We welcome your questions about our program. For additional information, please contact:
Mara S. Antonio
Administrative Coordinator